I Can Be Your Hero
by ButterfingersTheRobot
Summary: Pepper is constantly being ignored, abused and neglected by Tony so she turns to Steve for help. He looks after her whenever Tony hurts her, he doesn't want her going back to him all the time. He is falling for Pepper and she has similar feelings towards him, but doesn't want to tell him in case Tony finds out. Steve wants to be Pepper's hero its better than being the worlds hero..
1. Chapter 1

Steve was sat in his house, falling asleep while sitting on the couch and then he heard a knock on the door. He looked at his watch and checked the time, midnight…who would be visiting him at midnight? But all the same he got up, walked over to his front door and opened it, standing there in front of him was Pepper Potts, Tony Starks girlfriend. He noticed she had a few cuts on her face and bruises on her arms, he stepped back but kept her gaze on her.

"Pepper, come on in" he smiled a little, she smiled weakly back and walked into Steve's house.

"Hey Pepper, if you don't mind me asking how did you get cuts and bruises?" he asked her lightly.

"Tony went mad, I don't know why but he took it all out on me, he almost killed me but I managed to get out of there and I came here, he wont look for me here" she explained tears stinging her already red eyes. Steve took a step closer to her and pulled her into a hug.

"Shh you're safe here, I'll let you stay the night" he rubbed her back as he hugged her.

"Thanks Steve, I appreciate it" she replied quietly.

He pulled out of the hug and smiled at her softly standing back to give her personal space.

"You can sleep in my bed, I'm fine on the couch" he told her.

"Can you stay with me until I go to sleep?" she asked looking at him.

"Sure, bedrooms this way" he led her into the bedroom and smiled.

"Thanks Steve" she walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it, taking off her shoes and climbing into the bed. Steve smiled at her and sat at the edge of the bed.

"Goodnight Miss. Potts" he whispered.

"Goodnight Mr. Rogers" she whispered back and closed her eyes. Steve watched her sleep for a while, when he thought that she was actually asleep he went back out to the living room and set up blankets and a pillow for the couch. He was ready to go to sleep when his phone started to ring, he didn't bother looking at who was calling and answered.

"Hello?"

"Steve, it's Tony"

"Oh, hi Tony" Steve sighed a little.

"Yeah, listen do you know where Pepper is, I think I went crazy on her earlier and I hurt her, now I regret it, I was slightly drunk and I just need to know that she's safe"

"Yes, I do know where she is, she's here with me-"

"Well put her on the phone, I need to say that I'm sorry"

"She's asleep at the moment"

"Well then I'm coming over"

"No Tony, you don't have to" when Steve had said that he realised Tony hung up on him and was probably on the way to apologise to Pepper.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve watched as Tony led Pepper away and sighed. Why did she go back to him? He just couldn't understand, he had hurt her and she just went back with him. It just didn't make any sense to him. He went back into his house and walked into the bedroom, it was still night so he got in his bed and closed his eyes. He was still scared to fall asleep, last time he did it he was asleep for 70 years.

Tony and Pepper got back to their house and he looked at her when she had walked in.

"Pepper, why were you at his house?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Tony, I'm sorry but I just wanted to see him" she replied scared that Tony would hit her again.

"But why him?" he moved closer to her.

"I-I don't know, he's just my friend" she looked up at him.

"Just a friend?"

"Yes Tony, he is just my friend" she stepped back.

"I don't believe you" he took her neck and held her against a wall.

"T-Tony, please I didn't do anything" she let out in a strangled voice.

"Fine" he let go of her neck and she fell to the floor and coughed getting her breath back.

"Tony, I'm so sorry" she begged him for forgiveness.

"I don't care Pepper, just go to sleep" he ordered, so she did. She went upstairs into her room and got into bed, but she took a while to get to sleep, she loved Tony but she was scared of him, being him was just life threatening.

In the morning she got up, got her herself dressed and left for work trying to avoid Tony, but instead of going to work she went over to Steve's again. She knocked on the door and he answered.

"Pepper you're back" he said surprised.

"Yeah" she nodded.

"Come on in" he stepped back again and she walked in, he closed the door and led her into the living room. Both of them sat on the sofa and Steve looked at her.

"What's going on?" Steve asked her.

"Tony nearly killed me" she looked at him.

"What did he do?"

"He strangled me against a wall"

"Pepper you cant go back with him if he's like this"

"But I love him"

"Why?"

"I don't know" she had tears in her eyes and was on the brink of tears, he hugged her close to him and rubbed her back as she cried into his shoulder. He knew that he would never be able to be with her, she would always go back to Tony and she would never see him the way he saw her.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been a few weeks since Steve had last seen Pepper, she once again had gone back to Tony. Now Steve knew that she still loved the man of iron, even if he wasn't pleasant to her. He was at home alone, sitting on his sofa with his head in his hands. He was like this for a few minutes until his phone vibrated on the table, he stared at it for a few minutes before picking up the phone and reading the text. It was from Pepper and she had asked him to come over to hers and Tony's house. He replied that he would love to and he started getting ready.

When he arrived at Tony and Pepper's mansion he knocked on the door lightly, after a few seconds he was greeted by Pepper.

"Hey Steve" she smiled and stepped back to let him in, he smiled back and came into the mansion.

"Hi Pepper" he looked around the mansion as Pepper closed the door.

"Dinner is almost ready if you want to come and take a seat in the dining room" she led him into a huge room with a big table and a few chairs, three places were set, one at the head of the table and two either side of the table. After a few minutes Tony came in with three plates and put one in each face before taking his place at the head of the table. Steve and Pepper sat down either side and all three of them started eating, as they were eating Steve noticed some fresh bruises on Pepper's arm.

"Hey Pepper, how did you get those bruises on your arm?" he asked her timidly.

Pepper looked at Tony and Steve caught the slightly threatening look that he gave her.

"I tripped and hit my arm on the floor" Pepper lied and looked at Steve.

"Oh, well maybe you should be more careful next time" Steve replied.

"Yeah, she should" Tony spoke for her as he finished his meal, the rest of the meal was spent in silence as Pepper and Steve finished their dinner. Pepper took all three plates and the other dishes into the kitchen and put them in the dishwasher. Steve had followed Pepper into the kitchen and closed the door.

"Pepper, how did you really get those bruises?" he asked her.

"I can't talk about it here" she replied not looking at him and trying to cover her arm.

"Come with me back to mine"

"I can't Steve, not today"

"Tomorrow then?" he asked stepping towards her and gently turning her around so that she was facing him. She looked into his eyes and nodded.

"Alright, I will after work"


End file.
